Raising incomes and increasing opportunity hinges critically on access to post-secondary education and training. If Pennsylvania does not expand access to higher education to more of its citizens, the authors argue, the Commonwealth's economy will suffer and living standards will lag growth elsewhere. With a modest and smart investment,…

The designation "low income" is often assigned to students who are Federal Pell Grant eligible; however, family incomes for these recipients range from $0 to as high as $60,000 (Baum & Payea, 2011). Over 93% of all zero expected family contribution (EFC) students have a family income of $30,000 or less and constituted 67.4% of all…

This brief report presents selected findings about student financial aid during the 2011-12 academic year. These findings are based on data from the 2011-12 National Postsecondary Student Aid Study (NPSAS:12), a nationally representative sample survey of undergraduate and graduate students enrolled any time between July 1, 2011, and June 30, 2012,…

Approximately 23 million students enrolled in undergraduate postsecondary education in the United States during the 2011-12 academic year (Simone et al. 2013). The Web Tables in this report provide a comprehensive source (2011-12 National Postsecondary Student Aid Study [NPSAS:12]) of information on the financial aid that was awarded to these…

The purpose of this study was to find out if the demographic variables of country of origin, generation in the United States (immigration status), income and parental education had an impact on the financial aid packages of Hispanic undergraduate students. This dissertation asked: What is the relation between generation in the United States,…

The passage of S. 2539, the College Opportunity Act of 1978, to amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to improve the basic educational opportunity grants program, is recommended in this Senate report from Senator Claiborne Pell. The bill provides for: (1) a rate no higher than 10.5 percent in determining a family's expected contributions from…

The passage of H.R. 12274, the Middle Income Student Assistance Act, to amend Title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965 to increase the availability of assistance to middle-income students is recommended in this House report from the Committee on Education and Labor. The purpose of H.R. 11274 is to provide needed financial assistance to…

Presented are extensive data tables showing the distribution of types and packages of student financial aid in the United States, according to family income, tuition level, and institutional control. Data are drawn from the data bank of the Cooperative Institutional Research Program. Federal need-based aid is emphasized. Some narration is…

The 2008-09 Counselors and Mentors Handbook on Federal Student Aid provides useful information to help high school counselors, TRIO and GEAR UP staff, and other mentors advise students about financial aid for postsecondary education. This book focuses on the federal student aid programs administered by the U.S. Department of Education. It contains…

The ways middle-income families pay for college are examined, based on a national survey of student aid recipients, especially traditional undergraduate dependent students. Information is provided on the mix between loans, grants, work, and family contribution, as well as the relationship between federal, state, and college-sponsored aid. Examples…

The ways low-income families pay for college are examined, based on a national survey of student aid recipients, especially traditional undergraduate dependent students. Information is provided on the mix between loans, grants, work, and family contribution, as well as the relationship between federal, state, and college-sponsored aid. Examples of…

The types and sources of financial assistance provided to undergraduate students by their institutions during 1976-77 were investigated as part of a survey conducted by the American Council on Education (ACE). A sample of 760 colleges and universities that comprise ACE's Higher Education Panel were asked to report the amounts and kinds of…